Browsing: Warriors

LeBron James seems to have made another decision, one that does not involve selling cognac.

As he deals with a nerve irritation in his glute, the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star will reportedly sit out the rest of preseason to prepare for the team’s season opener, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

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James, who is about to begin his 23rd NBA season, has been doing on-court work and is slowly ramping up his preparation.

Last week, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that James would slowly build towards the regular season opener and wouldn’t be available when training camp opened.

“It’s probably a little bit longer of a ramp-up leading up to opening night for him,” Redick told reporters. “In year 23, uncharted territory here.”

Redick then admitted the team may not have managed James’ game management properly last preseason, saying they felt like James did “too much” during training camp in 2024. But it didn’t seem to affect the four-time NBA MVP during the regular season as he played 70 games and averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds in nearly 35 minutes of action per night.

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Yet those games he missed were due to foot and ankle soreness, which kept him out of the All-Star Game. James later suffered a sprained MCL during Game 5 of the Lakers’ playoff series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, an injury that would have kept him out for weeks had it not been the final game of their season.

James has yet to say whether this will be his final NBA season, but at age 40, there aren’t many left for him and the Lakers are eager to see what sort of title run the team can make as he plays alongside Luka DonÄić. They don’t necessarily need him in late October as they would prefer James to be 100% healthy when playoff time rolls around.

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The Lakers have four more preseason games before they open the 2025-26 campaign on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.

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If the Warriors are to reach their goals in the 2025-26 NBA season, Jonathan Kuminga figures to be a big reason why.

But, as Golden State coach Steve Kerr sees it, thereâ€s still a sizable hurdle for Kuminga to clear: playing effectively with Warriors stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. And in Sundayâ€s 111-103 preseason win against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kerr wasnâ€t impressed.

“Well, there wasnâ€t much spacing, which is the big concern,†Kerr said of the Kuminga-Big Three lineup in his post-practice press conference Tuesday. “But weâ€ve got to continue to give them some looks.â€

Kuminga finished with five points in 15 minutes on Sunday, days after signing a two-year, $48.5 million contract to remain with Golden State after a prolonged restricted free agency. However, the Warriors†offense seemed to sputter when he shared the floor with the teamâ€s other stars.

“It still feels to me like if weâ€re trying to play Jimmy, JK [and] Draymond, just from the other night, immediately…the spacing was not great,†Kerr said. “And it puts pressure on our offense to really have to execute. But itâ€s early in camp, too.â€

Neither Kuminga, nor Green nor Butler, is considered to be a strong 3-point shooter, which limits how far the Warriors can stretch opposing defenses when they all are on the court. Kerr is hoping that the addition of center Al Horford will help solve that problem and let Kuminga find lineups to thrive in.

“I think Al kind of changes the equation here,†Kerr said. “Iâ€m really intrigued to put Al and JK together with Draymond or Jimmy. That lineup makes perfect sense.â€

Kerr added that the Warriors will continue to explore every option in an effort to unlock the 23-year-old Kuminga.

“If we can execute the stuff weâ€re trying to operate, then it can be effective,†Kerr said. “Itâ€s just not a smooth fit.â€

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Another season of NBA basketball means another season of Kendrick Perkins†hot takes.

The former player and current ESPN studio analyst began in earnest on Sundayâ€s episode of “NBA Countdown,” when he claimed he still views the Los Angeles Lakers as a better team than the Warriors entering the 2025-26 NBA season.

“Both of these teams are going to be here come April,†Perkins said in the minutes leading up to the Warriors’ preseason matchup against the Lakers on Sunday. “Both of these teams are going to be in the postseason. I give the Lakers a slight edge because they have a third option offensively in Austin Reaves.â€

That third scoring option is a sticking point for Perkins, who wondered aloud whether Golden State has the same offensive depth as the Lakers.

“We donâ€t know who the third option is for the Golden State Warriors,†Perkins said. “Is that going to be [Jonathan] Kuminga? Are they going to rely on Buddy Hield? Thatâ€s the question.â€

The Warriors appeared to operate just fine without a clear-cut third scorer at the end of the 2024-25 season, compiling a 23-8 record when Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all saw the court. But Perkins is skeptical over whether thatâ€s enough given Golden Stateâ€s title aspirations.

“The 23-8 [record] got them out in the second round,†Perkins said, referencing the Warriors†semifinal series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. “Theyâ€re trying to win the championship. Mind you, Steph [Curry] got injured, I get that part. But we donâ€t know if they couldâ€ve got past [the Oklahoma City Thunder] with that roster that they had.â€

Despite Butler only playing 30 regular-season games with the Warriors last season, Golden State finished just two games behind the Lakers in the Western Conference standings. A full season of Butler figures to go a long way towards making Perkins eat his own words.

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SAN FRANCISCO – The first game of any NBA teamâ€s preseason schedule can bring heavy legs from an intense week of training camp, and rust still needing to be scraped off. The Warriors†oldest player didnâ€t appear to have any issues in either category.

Al Horford, 39 years old, was sharp and spry in the Warriors†111-103 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Chase Center. And he fit like a glove on his new team after spending the last four years with the Boston Celtics.Â

Coach Steve Kerr was effusive in his praise of Horford after the win, and those same sentiments remained after reviewing the film.Â

“Al just never seems to make a mistake,†Kerr said Tuesday after practice. “He just brings everything you want. Thereâ€s size and athleticism, and shooting ability and passing. He makes the game really easy for everybody.â€

Entering his 19th year as a pro, Horford isnâ€t as easy on himself as his new coach and teammates have been. But even he could acknowledge what everybody saw. The transition from the Celtics†system to the way the Warriors operate was as smooth as anybody could have hoped.Â

“In my eyes, Iâ€m very hard on myself. It was good. I know thereâ€s definitely ways that I can continue to be better,†Horford said Tuesday. “But they make it so easy for guys to come in here and fit in with the group and what weâ€re trying to do. Draymond [Green], Steph [Curry] and obviously coach putting us in positions to kind of go out there and play and feel the game out.Â

“It has been an easy transition. For me, Iâ€m obviously still getting comfortable and familiar with everything. But I am encouraged after that first game, some of the things that I saw, and some of the things that I know that we will all continue to get better at.â€

The expectation upon Horfordâ€s signing was that heâ€d be the Warriors†new starting center. Kerr instead stuck with the same group that was so successful in the second half last season and brought Horford off the bench to begin the preseason. Without scoring a point, Horford quickly showcased the kind of impact he can have on the Warriors once he first entered the game.Â

Horford played just under nine minutes in the first quarter after sitting for the first three minutes, and was a plus-four as the Warriors held a one-point lead. In that first run of his, Horford already grabbed two rebounds, dished two assists, blocked two shots and had a steal. The most notable was how he quickly found Curry for two points.Â

About a minute and a half after taking his warmup gear off, Horford ran the floor alongside Curry and wound up in the left corner. Curry gave Horford the ball but found it back in his hands a split second later as he cut behind Dalton Knecht and finished a nifty layup that also sent him to the free-throw line.

Curry after the game said he already feels an “unspoken chemistry†sharing the floor with Horford.Â

“Itâ€s a level of awareness that Iâ€ve never really had to think about before like that,†Horford said of Curryâ€s constant movement.

Plenty of players, even the best of the best like Kevin Durant, have needed extra time to get used to understanding Curryâ€s uniqueness. Horford is looking at it in the simplest ways he can.

“When Iâ€m on the floor with him, the whole mindset is trying to make the game easier for him. For me, that is either getting him the ball or setting a good screen or doing anything that I can to make sure that our offense just kind of moves and flows,†Horford said.

“Heâ€s such a smart player that itâ€s easy to play off of him. And sometimes heâ€ll kind of tell you what to do. When he passed me that ball, you know heâ€s going to cut, so I guess thatâ€s the unspoken stuff right there.â€

The variety of combinations Kerr can use with Horford is another bonus at his disposal. Horford, 6-foot-9, will play both frontcourt positions. Heâ€s seen more as a center but will see time at power forward, too.

That wrinkle was seen in the second quarter when Horford slid down to the 4 and 7-footer Quinten Post was the 5 next to him. They played the final five minutes of the second quarter together, and the Warriors outscored the Lakers 16-7.

“He obviously brings that versatility, both offensively and defensively,†Post said. “I like playing with him. Weâ€ve been having a lot of talk, trying to pick his brain. … Heâ€s just a guy that you can plug into any system, any defensive scheme.â€

Stats didnâ€t need to jump off the page to understand what a seamless addition Horford is, though the numbers spoke for themselves. Horford was a plus-13 in 14 minutes off the bench with three points, four rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and one assist.

Like so many others before him, Horford also sure was happy to go from being Curryâ€s opponent to immediately relishing in the riches of being his teammate.

“He just does such a good job of terrifying everybody in the league every time he moves, so thatâ€s something Iâ€m going to take advantage of,†Horford said.

Games donâ€t even count yet and the rest of the league already is on notice for a new duo that can make any arena a house of horrors.

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One of Steve Kerrâ€s peers has placed his stamp of approval on Al Horfordâ€s fit with the Warriors.

Former NBA coach and current ESPN analyst Michael Malone, who led the Denver Nuggets to their first championship in 2023, described in a segment for the networkâ€s “NBA Countdown†how Horfordâ€s addition could transform Golden Stateâ€s offense this season.

“Theyâ€ve added a proficient 3-point shooting big man,†Malone said. “Champion, high character, culture— they havenâ€t had this spacing, 1 through 5, in a long time.â€

Horfordâ€s ability to shoot from long distance is expected to make opponents pay for selling out on Stephen Curry and other Warriors playmakers. The 39-year-old center shot over 40 percent from 3-point range in his final three seasons with the Boston Celtics.

“The number of wide-open shots that heâ€s going to get is going to spread out their offense and make a really tough offensive team to guard even that much harder,†Malone said.

It isnâ€t just Horfordâ€s range that has Malone so optimistic, however. In the 2024-25 NBA season, the Warriors ran just 10 total pick-and-roll plays involving Curry and a center. Their new acquisition, Horford, has tallied the sixth-most pick-and-pop shots of any player over the last 10 seasons.

“Steve Kerr, historically, has not been a big pick-and-roll coach,†Malone observed. “They havenâ€t had maybe the players…now, youâ€re adding a guy [in] in the last ten years [who] is one of the most prolific pick-and-pop bigs the game has seen. So, I think this is a match made in heaven. I know Steph Curry has to be really excited.â€

Based on the early reviews from Malone and Kerr, Warriors fans should be plenty excited, as well.

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The Lakers entered training camp with hopes of finally establishing chemistry between stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. But the trio have yet to see the court together. On Sunday, they all stayed on the bench during the Lakers†111-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.

With Doncic (rest) and James (glute) already out, Reaves was rested Sunday after an already full first week of training camp. The fifth-year guard had the highest workload on the team entering the first preseason game that took place after three days of practice. He scored 20 points against the Phoenix Suns as one of the few offensive bright spots in Fridayâ€s blowout loss.

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Without their top offensive playmakers, the Lakers got a lift from guard Gabe Vincent, who made his preseason debut after nursing a knee injury. He had 16 points and five assists while center Deandre Ayton, who scored just one point on two shots in Fridayâ€s preseason game, scored seven points, all in the first quarter, with seven rebounds.

After their first two preseason games, the Lakers have one week of practice until their first home preseason game against the Warriors on Oct. 12. Coach JJ Redick said that although Doncic was scheduled to rest for the first two preseason games after he played in EuroBasket with his national team, the Slovenian superstar is still expected to play before the team officially opens its season on Oct. 21. The Lakers have four preseason games remaining.

Whether James, who was held out of early training camp practices because of nerve irritation in his glute, will play in the preseason remains to be seen. Entering an unprecedented 23rd NBA season, James is on a slower ramp-up schedule than previous years, Redick said.

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The Warriors took a similarly cautious approach with their aging superstars as Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler III and Al Horford were all limited to one half. The 37-year-old Curry still scored 14 points in 15 minutes, draining five of seven shots from the field and drawing loud cheers from a nearly full Chase Center crowd when he laid up an acrobatic shot through contact and pointed two finger guns into the ESPN baseline camera.

Redick called it a challenge to get a proper evaluation of his team in a 48-minute preseason game when his top three stars are out, but after Fridayâ€s preseason opener, he was looking for better organization on offense early in the shot clock, playing with pace and more physicality.

“We’ve got to be more physical getting open,†Redick said before the game. “We’ve got to be more physical with our screening. That doesn’t change based on who’s in the lineup, so that habit, we can build that.â€

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“Championship habits†is one of three pillars Redick has preached relentlessly during training camp, along with championship communication and championship shape. He said he would judge the latter in part by whether players are sprinting back on defense.

The Lakers were outscored 23-5 in transition Sunday and 42-11 through two preseason games.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Stephen Curry doesn’t have a retirement timeline in mind, though the eventual end to his career is certainly something he’s processing.

“No clue. I just know it’s closer than it was even yesterday,” he told ESPN’s Malika Andrews when asked if he knew when the end of his career would be (1:57 mark). “Acknowledging it is fun, because the more I talk about it, the more I appreciate what all goes into preparing yourself. But all of that stuff is just the privilege that you’ve earned. I’m trying not to put any timestamps or anything, other than the sense of urgency on it now.”

The 37-year-old has a title window that is slowly closing, though the longevity of players like Curry and LeBron James (40 years old) continues to be astounding. Both are still playing at a very high level, with Curry averaging 24.5 points and six assists in 70 games last season while shooting 39.7 percent from three.

The Warriors added Jimmy Butler ahead of last season’s trade deadline to maximize that window, and it will be interesting to see how the Warriors fare will a full season to work Butler into the fold. A number of contenders in the West like the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets seem like safer bets to win a title than the Warriors, though the Curry-Butler duo makes the Dubs a definite threat.

It’s unclear if winning a fifth title this season would potentially nudge Curry toward retiring. Given the level he continues to play at, he seems to have several years left in the tank, but only Curry knows how long he wants this journey to be.

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SAN FRANCISCO – Al Horford, 39, knows heâ€s old by NBA standards. He doesnâ€t sweat it, nor do the Warriors. If his regular season looks anything like his performance on Sunday, neither should the good citizens of Dub Nation.

Horford came off the bench for 14 hyperactive minutes in a 111-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Golden Stateâ€s preseason opener at Chase Center. He scored only three points, a triple that splashed neatly through the net, but the rest of his game put skeptics on alert.

You can call him Al 🕺 pic.twitter.com/08w26h9Dkz

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 6, 2025

The 6-foot-9 forward/center had four rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal. Moreover, he was plus-13 for his effort.

“Fun,†coach Steve Kerr said of Horfordâ€s showing. “To see the size and the shooting ability, passing ability, just the flow of the game. What an addition he is.â€

Horford earned the right to join fellow veterans Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green as spectators once the halftime buzzer sounded.

When Moses Moody picked up three fouls in the first three minutes, Horford hopped off the bench and took the floor, receiving a warm ovation from the sellout crowd. He immediately went to work.

Horford was sprinting the floor. Bouncing about the paint. Rotating with ease and timing. He slides over to trap Bronny James and comes away with a steal. When Nate Williams pump-fakes Draymond Green out of position, Horford rotates over and uses his 7-foot-1 wingspan for the block.

“Itâ€s more a sign of his basketball IQ than it is him flying around trying to impress anybody,†Kerr said. “Heâ€s just always in the right spot. He had (three) blocked shots. The two that I remember, he just rotated over perfectly, recognized the late shot clock, knew exactly where he was, what he needed to do. Heâ€s been around for a long time, heâ€s seen everything, and it comes very naturally to him.â€

For all that Kevon Looney gave this franchise, this was an 18-year veteran, with more comprehensive skills, making spectacular plays, and nobody appreciated it more than Curry, who turned a Horford dime into an easy bucket.

Al Horford 🤠Steph pic.twitter.com/X4ifkPsDek

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 6, 2025

“Obviously has a high IQ,†Curry said. “An experienced, championship-caliber player that can fit with any lineup out there. He gives us space. He gives us presence on the defensive end. You saw the pass he made to me out of the corner on the give-and-go. Thereâ€s just an unspoken chemistry that will continue to get better.

“Heâ€s a multidimensional as a 5-man. Excited to see what that looks like for me, for Jimmy, for JK and Draymond. Any lineup, you can throw him out there at the 5 and he lifts the group.â€

Horford spent time with most of the teamâ€s rotation players, and even shared the court with fellow center Quinten Post. That probably wonâ€t be last time Kerr resorts to utilizing two big men together.

Though Horford was not in the starting lineup, he still projects as the likely starter at center. He certainly will be in the finishing lineup.

No player in franchise history has been projected as a starter at such an advanced age, so initial concern about Horfordâ€s health is valid. Any concern about his conditioning, however, should be put to rest. Not one of his teammates brought more velocity.

Horford played 60 games, with 42 starts, last season with the Celtics, as planned by coach Joe Mazzulla. He hasnâ€t played more than 70 games since appearing in 72 in 2017-18. He averaged 27.7 minutes last season, 26.8 the year before.

The Warriors will follow a similar regimen.

“We’ll do the same thing,†Kerr said. “We have to preserve all our older guys as best we can to have them ready for the playoffs. That’s the idea.

“But no question, he’s still got it. He’s incredible player. Great fit for us.â€

Itâ€s a preseason game. The opener. But there was not one clumsy moment for Horford. The pro looked like a pro with enough game to render his age irrelevant.

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It’s normal to be starstruck by someone you’ve admired your entire life. But when that person now is your Warriors teammate, those interactions can be hard to get used to.

Golden State rookies Chance McMillian, 24, and Will Richard, 22, quickly learned that during Warriors Media Day last week, when an adorably relatable interaction with franchise superstar Steph Curry went viral on social media.

Even though McMillian and Richard were too shy to ask Curry for a photo right away, the two-time NBA MVP happily obliged after the pair of rookies, patiently waiting, were put on blast.

So, what do youngsters like McMillian and Richard do with a professional photo taken alongside their NBA idol?

“Sent it straight to my mom,” McMillian told The Athletic’s Nick Friedell, noting her immediately reply was one full of pride. “You know how moms get.”

The interaction with Curry immediately racked up millions of views online as a moment that Dub Nation and most NBA fans certainly understood.

“Literally everyone I know sent it back to me or said something to me about it,” McMillian told Friedell. “It was pretty funny.”

McMillian, an undrafted free agent, signed with the Warriors last Monday but was waived a few hours later. He’s expected to contribute for G League Santa Cruz Warriors this season, per Friedell, and the Media Day photo wil serve as a reminder of how far he has come.

“Last year, when I was at [Texas] Tech, I was trying to figure out ways how to move off the ball and get open and I pulled up some Steph clips,” McMillian told Friedell. “And now here I am, weâ€re in the same locker room. …

“I still am a big Steph fan. I grew up watching him. The Warriors have been my team since Andris Biedriņš, David Lee, those days. So itâ€s still like not real, but itâ€s starting to settle in.”

Richard, the Warriors’ No. 56 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, did something similar to McMillian with his Curry picture.

“I sent it to my parents,” Richard told Friedell. “Their first words was ‘We got to frame this.†That was literally their first words.”

Also like McMillian, and many other NBA youngsters, Richard grew up idolizing Curry. And after signing a reported four-year, $8.69 million contract with Golden State, the two are set to be teammates for a while — or, however much longer Curry, 37, remains in the league.

“I grew up loving the Warriors,” Richard told Friedell. “Watching them, watching Steph. Loving him and Klay [Thompson] and Draymond [Green], and just seeing what they did here so being a part of it is a blessing. Itâ€s a dream come true for me.”

Both Richard and McMillian told Friedell they’ll likely hang their photo with Curry in somewhere in their homes. The hilarious moment led to a cherished memento they’ll treasure throughout their lives and respective NBA careers — a reminder of where they started, and what they can achieve.

“[I’m going to] definitely have it somewhere in the house,” McMillian told Friedell. “But Iâ€ll use it as constant motivation because this is the best shooter of all time. And Iâ€m going to use it as motivation to work hard and get where heâ€s at. Because not everyone in the world has a vet thatâ€s Steph Curry.”

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Golden State Warriors teammates Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green were present at UFC 320 in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev looked to defend his title against former two-division champion Alex Pereira in the main event, while bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili sought to defend his title against Cory Sandhagen in the co-main event.

Butler and Green are also gearing up for the 2025-26 season with the Warriors, their first full year sharing the court.

The Warriors acquired Butler during the 2024-25 season as part of a blockbuster trade with the Miami Heat on Feb. 5.

Golden State immediately excelled following the acquisition, ending the regular season by posting a 23-7 record in 30 games with the six-time All-Star in its lineup.

Butler averaged 17.9 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game as a member of the Warriors.

Golden State ended the year with a 48-34 overall record, advancing to the Western Conference semifinals before falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. It’s worth noting that Warriors superstar Stephen Curry only appeared in one contest during the series due to hamstring issues.

Meanwhile, Green continued to anchor Golden State’s defense. He averaged 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game on 42.4/32.5/68.7 shooting splits last season.

The Warriors will open their 2025-26 campaign against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 21.

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